Political rivals united over books

Lord Mandelson and
William Hague have hinted that they may be preparing for a hung Parliament – by naming a book about cross-party co-operation as one of their favourites.

Both men listed Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln in their list of 12 favourite books for retailer Waterstone’s.

William Hague and Peter Mandelson chose the same book among their favourites

Lord Mandelson also included a guide to Corfu, the Greek island where he famously dined with a Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska while EU Trade Commissioner in 2007.

Conservative shadow foreign secretary Hague described Team Of Rivals, written by Doris Kearns Goodwin, as “a rare study not only of four great civil war figures in the same book, but of the extraordinary and productive way they managed to work together.”

Waterstone’s said the book “examines how President Lincoln surrounded himself with the best thinkers and advisers, no matter what their political affiliation” and was cited by US President Barack Obama as essential for the Oval Office.

Lord Mandelson described the book as “an elegant account of the mastery of Abraham Lincoln and the difference politics can make”.

Mr Hague also seemed to have acquainted himself with the inner workings of his rivals by reading the memoirs of long-serving Labour MP Chris Mullin, A View From The Foothills, and choosing it as a favourite.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson selected Globetrotter Travel Guide To Corfu, describing the island as his “home away from home”. He also picked children’s book The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe by CS Lewis, commenting: “Always winter but never Christmas… still my favourite description of hell.”

Mr Hague and Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Vince Cable both chose Sebastian Faulks’s First World War story Birdsong as one of their favourites, while many of Mr Cable’s other choices, such as Robert Skidelsky’s biography of economist John Maynard Keynes, reflected his interest in economics.

SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon also chose Team Of Rivals among her favourites, while Deputy First Minister of the Welsh Assembly, Ieuan Wyn Jones, listed two Welsh language books, Un Nos Ola Leuad (One Moonlit Night) by Caradog Prichard, and Te yn y Grug (Tea In The Heather) by Kate Roberts in his selection.